I am for it. ... I’m in favor of infrastructure investment here. It seems like fixing the roads is a basic service you shouldn’t have to go motivate people to do. ... This town is ready for some action and ready to see some progress. You can see companies like Concho building their campuses, wanting to attract people out here. This town needs to be forward-thinking on what we are going to need 10 years from now. ... What we have seen and what everyone is seeing in terms of the resource that we are going to be mining out here for so many years is this is going to be a great place to be.

Pioneer is 100 percent behind this bond campaign because transportation infrastructure is critical to Midland’s future, and the safety of our employees and community members is paramount. And it’s important to recognize that we need good roads for more than business. Getting the kids to school ... getting to church on Wednesday night ... getting to the grocery store ... we all benefit from a strong infrastructure. Plus, investing now means we’ll save money in the long run. ... Whether it’s thousands of our own employees or the thousands of contractors we work with on a daily basis, Midland is home. And that’s why we’re committed to help improve Midland schools, raise additional funding for local law enforcement, and so much more. We’ve got 50 years of drilling ahead of us, and our success as a company depends on Midland’s success as a thriving city and community.

I'm in strong support of the upcoming Road Bond, and I'm encouraging Diamondback employees to go out and vote. I'm really encouraging our early career professional to "lean into" our community by getting involved, getting registered, and letting their voices be heard. We need better turnout than we've seen in recent elections. Our community deserves it. ... Midland is at the center of U.S. domestic production, and the Permian Basin is a key player on the worldwide stage of petroleum supply. We should have education, infrastructure, and healthcare that reflects our community’s position of importance in the State of Texas, the U.S. and the world. ... Certainly, these three items are critical to attracting and retaining skilled workers and families we need to power the Permian Basin.

The most conservative leaders in our state like Greg Abbott and Dan Patrick knew that for Texas to maintain our aging system, they needed billions in additional funding. That’s why they passed the proposition and put it on the ballot. Just like our state, Midland needs additional funding, but there is no rainy day fund we can tap into and state leaders sent the bulk of their dollars to urban centers. Our options are simple: Reinvest in ourselves or watch our roads crumble. If billions in additional funding for Texas, every year, for eternity, passes the test of conservatism, then Midland can afford a $100 million bond over the next 25 years.

I believe Midland understands that an investment in our infrastructure is an investment in our future. We are a growing city that could see a minimum of 20,000 more residents in the next five years. That growth shows why Midland was ranked the fifth fastest growing city in the country. Midland’s road needs are of a magnitude that cannot be addressed within the city’s general fund budget, which is for the day-to-day operations of our city. I believe we must think outside the box and prioritize the needs of our city which obviously includes improving our infrastructure. Many companies, including mine, are making significant capital investments because we believe in the long term future of the Permian Basin. It is time for Midland to make a significant investment in our infrastructure

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Chamber to host road bond rally

The Midland Chamber of Commerce will host a rally in support of the Midland road bond on Monday. The purpose of the rally is to raise awareness before the Election Day and encourage voter turnout. A free lunch will be served.

The rally will be outside in the Bank of America Plaza, at the corner of Wall and Big Spring streets, beginning at noon.

Early voting totals

There were 6,172 early voters for Tuesday’s General Election. Here is a comparison to previous early voting totals of tax elections not held at the same time of presidential elections since 2003

2017 City bond 6172* --

2017 City 4B 4,279 6,792

2016 MISD TRE 4,508 6,648

2009 Hospital bond 5,302 8,270

2005 Midland College bond 4,542 7,741

*indicates that total includes county residents who voted for state propositions but were not eligible to vote in the city of Midland road bond election.

City tax elections since 1980

Listed are city elections, including bond and sales tax referendum

City — Bond to enter the city into a water services contract with the Colorado River Municipal Water District.

For: 5,906

Against: 1,160

1988

City

Prop 1, $5.4 million for street improvements

For: 2,635

Against: 4,075

Prop 2, $3.5 million for storm drains and sewer facilities

For: 2,635

Against: 4,033

Prop 3, $4.2 million for parks

For: 1,846

Against: 4,765

Prop 4, $4.3 million for public safety, facilities and equipment

For: 3,674

Against: 3,062

1992

City — Attempt to pass a quarter-cent increase to the sales and use tax for economic development purposes.

For: 2,599

Against: 7,610

1996

City — Bond to build a new terminal at Midland International Airport.

For: 10,776

Against: 2,418

1997

City — attempt to pass a quarter-cent increase to the sales and use tax for economic development purposes.

For: 5,695

Against: 7,272

1999

City — attempt to pass a quarter-cent increase to the sales and use tax to build a multi-million dollar, dual-stadium facility.

For: 10,013

Against: 6,625

2001

City — attempt to pass a quarter-cent increase to the sales and use tax for economic development purposes.

For: 8,396

Against: 5,844

2017

City – Attempt to pass a quarter-cent sales and use tax to fund park development, sports complex maintenance and operations and new road construction